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New Device: Regenerative Bandage May Heal Wounds Safer; Faster

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By : Suvarna Sheth

A simple cut or wound with someone with diabetes can become a very serious situation if left untreated.

A team researchers at Northwestern University have recently developed a new, “regenerative bandage” that may help heal wounds faster and safer — without using drugs.

The secret behind the bandage is a protein called laminin — which is found in most of the body’s tissues and skin. Laminin encourages cells to them to differentiate and stick to one another.  Researchers identified a part of laminin that is critical for the wound-healing process.

“This particular sequence caught our eye because it activates cellular receptors to get cells to adhere, migrate and proliferate,”said lead researcher, Guillermo Ameer, in an article in Northwestern Now. “Then we cut up the sequence to find the minimum size that we needed for it to work.”

By using a small piece of laminin instead of the entire protein, it can be easily made in the lab — making it more reproducible while keeping costs low.

As an added benefit, the bandage’s antioxidant nature counters inflammation.



The other cumbersome part about bandages is that they have to be changed often.  Not only is it a process, but the process can also damage the healing site.  Ameer’s bandage, however, can be rinsed off with saline, so the regenerating tissue remains undisturbed.

Because the bandage does not contain any drugs, it will likely get to the market faster. So far, no adverse side effects in animal models, and next, larger pre-clinical tests are planned.